Culture Magazine
CULTURE Magazine is an American monthly magazine covering entertainment and lifestyle trends in the medical cannabis community. Based in Corona, California, it is owned by Southland Publishing Inc., which also publishes several alternative newspapers and magazines in the region. CULTURE magazine is now distributed throughout the Bay Area, Southern California, Colorado, Washington, Arizona and Michigan.
History
The magazine was founded in 2009 by Jeremy Zachary with the stated mission of informing and entertaining the estimated 500,000-plus medical-marijuana patients in the Greater Southern California area. The first issue was published in June 2009.
Zachary developed his concept for CULTURE after noting a lack of cannabis publications that directly addressed the interests of the average medical-marijuana patient. Most either promoted cannabis cultivation and/or the "stoner" lifestyle. With Southern California’s medical-cannabis industry growing rapidly, Zachary believed a publication was needed that eschewed politics and the "pothead" image and, instead, focused on the general interests and lifestyles of those who used cannabis medicinally.
The Washington edition debuted April 2012, while Bay Area and Colorado started circulation in earlier that January. Michigan is the latest regional offshoot, premiering later in July 2012.
Staff
The current staff of CULTURE includes Publisher Jeremy Zachary, Editor-in-Chief Evan Senn, Arts & Entertainment Editor Ashley Bennett, and Director of Sales & Marketing Jim Saunders. Regular contributors include Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Stephanie Bishop, Hilary Bricken, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Stacy Davies, Philip Dawdy, Alex Distefano, David Downs, James P. Gray, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Dan Macintosh, Meital Manzuri, Justin Marsh, Jane Mast, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Arrissia Owen, Randy Robinson, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Alan Shackelford, Lanny Swerdlow, Liquid Todd.
CULTURE also employs a wide variety of freelance photographers, contributors, and dedicated interns.
Content
CULTURE's editorial coverage includes profiles of significant individuals in the medical-cannabis community (scholars, activists, patients, advocates, etc.) as well as news, legal advice, event previews, music, a Destination Unknown travel column, strain and edible reviews, CD/DVD/film/book reviews, recipes, photo galleries and an extensive events calendar. The magazine also highlights users who have overcome life-threatening ailments in their monthly Profiles in Courage segment. Artists, entertainers and celebrities that have appeared on CULTURE's covers have included Snoop Lion, Dita Von Teese, Mike Epps, Tegan and Sara and Melissa Etheridge, in addition to noted cannabis advocates and icons such as Sanjay Gupta, Bill Maher, and Tommy Chong.